"Hurry, hurry, hurry!"
"Zack, be patient," Angeal said sternly as he locked the door to the house.
"I wanna go now before you get called in for an emergency!" Zack whined as Sephiroth fixed a woolly hat over his black spikes "Hurry up!"
"Zack, calm down," Cloud said as he watched his breath condensate and rubbed his mitten clad hands together.
Angeal pulled the key out of the lock and Zack dashed down the pavement excitedly.
"Cloud, my dear boy," Genesis sighed as he linked hands with the blonde "It is useless to ask for Zack Fair to calm down. He's like a puppy with a squirrel most of the time."
"Squirrel!"
"Zack, careful when you're crossing the road!" Sephiroth barked as Zack chased a squirrel across the street.
"See, he even fits the simile literally," Genesis shrugged as he fixed his earmuffs over his ears "Angeal, why do we have to take the puppy out for a walk on such a cold day?"
"The kittens are sleeping, I didn't want him to disturb them," Angeal shrugged as he rewrapped his scarf around his neck.
"Swings!" Zack suddenly cheered.
"Use the park gate, Zack, not the fence!" Angeal called as they crossed the road to reach the park.
"Angeal, refresh my memory," Sephiroth sighed as he wrapped his coat around his body tighter "How old is Zack?"
"His twenty-second birthday is next month," Angeal murmured as they watched Zack run to the abandoned playground.
Zack, despite his overgrown size, began climbing up the frame whilst the other men settled themselves on the frosted benches. Genesis smiled happily as he settled Cloud down on his lap and fixed Cloud's hood over his head.
"You're so adorable," he said as he flicked Cloud's nose that was slowly turning red.
"Shut up," Cloud pouted as he buried his hands under his armpits.
"I'm the king of the castle!" Zack cheered as he stood tall and proud on the climbing frame "You are dirty rascals!"
"I highly doubt your reign of terror will last long," Genesis drawled.
"Says who?!" Zack stuck his tongue out at him.
"Your short attention span."
"I do not have a short attention span!"
"Look, a squirrel!"
"Squirrel!"
Cloud and Genesis winced as Zack fell off the climbing frame and landed on his front. He recovered quickly however and climbed up the frame again.
"See?" Genesis murmured and kissed Cloud's cold nose sweetly.
"We need to get cat supplies," Sephiroth drawled as Angeal idly platted his hair as they sat together "Where is the pet shop?"
"Next to the second-hand charity shop," Angeal replied "Do you need me to show you?"
"Oh, no need," Sephiroth shook his head "I know where it is now."
"Then take Zack with you, he should help you pick what you need."
"Angeal, he'll only want to buy toys and more toys," Sephiroth groaned.
"And you won't, cats need something to keep themselves entertained."
Sephiroth sighed and shook his head in dismay.
"Zack, do you want to come with me to the pet shop?" he called to the policeman that was balanced on the monkey bars.
"Yes please!"
Zack jumped off the climbing frame and began barrelling off towards the pet shop. Sephiroth got up and trailed after him, hands stuffed into his coat pockets. Angeal smiled then glanced at the teacher and delivery boy snuggling on the bench nearby. He walked over and sat next to Genesis.
"What are you two whispering about?" he asked and Genesis pouted at him.
"Angeal, darling, no need to be jealous or nosy," he sighed "I just wanted to remind Cloud here how cute he is."
"I'm not cute," Cloud muttered.
"With that nose and pout, you are the cutest of us all," Angeal smiled as he pinched Cloud's cheek.
"Ow, Angeal, stop!" Cloud whined and turned away from them.
"Aw, his cheeks are going red now!"
Cloud huffed moodily but leaned on Angeal's chest as he was transferred onto the older man's lap.
"Shake it to the left!" Zack grinned as he shook a toy with a bell in it "Shake it to the right!"
"Uh, mate, your friend needs to be more careful with that before he breaks it," the store clerk said whilst pointing to the hyperactive policeman.
Sephiroth rolled his eyes and snatched the toy off Zack.
"Hey!"
"Not until we get back home," Sephiroth scolded as he handed the toy over to the clerk to get it scanned.
"But I want to play with it now!" Zack whined.
"That will be two thousand Gil," the clerk said and Sephiroth handed over the money.
"Please!"
"No."
"Please!"
"No."
"Please!"
"No."
Zack pawed at Sephiroth's back when Sephiroth picked up the bags and walked out.
"Please!"
"No."
"Please!"
"No."
"Please!"
"No."
"Please!"
"No."
"Please!"
"No."
"Please!"
"No."
Zack whined as they got a couple of odd stares on the street. Sephiroth paused and ruffled through the bags.
"Here, Zack," he said as he held up a squeaky ball.
When it squeaked, Zack perked up then crouched low, watching as Sephiroth waved it back and forth.
"Fetch," he said as he tossed it over the fence to the park.
"Ball!" Zack cheered as he leapfrogged over the fence and ran towards the ball.
"Ow!" came a cry and Sephiroth winced when he realised he had accidentally hit Genesis "No, Zack!"
"Ball!" Zack cheered and Sephiroth approached his boyfriends carefully when Genesis was pinned down.
"I'm not a ball, you mutt!" Genesis growled and shoved Zack off "Now look, I'm all dirty thanks to you!"
Zack whined and pulled the puppy eyes at him. Sephiroth picked up the ball and squeezed it. Zack perked up and stared at Sephiroth intently. He then ran after the ball after it was thrown across the grass.
"Did he cause much trouble?" Angeal asked as Sephiroth sat down next to him.
"Not really," the politician sighed as he grabbed Cloud and put him on his lap "Hello, little one."
"OK, there's no need to treat me like a child when he's the one acting childishly," Cloud huffed and jabbed a moody finger at Zack who began running back with the ball.
"He's a puppy, not a child," Genesis scowled as he sat next to Angeal.
Cloud was shoved off Sephiroth's lap and Zack stared at Sephiroth intently in his place, presenting the ball with eager eyes.
"Zack, that wasn't very nice," Sephiroth said as he took the ball and handed it to Angeal "Apologize to Cloud."
Zack looked down at Cloud and jumped down, helping up to his feet.
"I'm sorry, Cloud," he said and cuddled him.
"It's alright," Cloud sighed into his chest "Genesis's cookies have too much sugar in so I don't blame you."
"You all ate my cookies, Zack is the only one who is behaving inappropriately," Genesis said snootily as he leaned against Angeal's shoulder.
"Zack ate my share," Sephiroth said.
"Zack ate half of mine," Angeal said.
"Zack stole three of mine," Cloud said.
"You greedy pup," Genesis narrowed his eyes at a sheepish looking policeman.
Zack just shrugged and yawned tiredly.
"Someone needs to be put to bed," Angeal chuckled as he got up "Come on, pup."
"I'm not tired," Zack whined.
"It's time to go home now."
"Five more minutes!"
"Zack, you have work tomorrow, you're going to need your rest."
"But…but…but…"
Zack whined and pulled his puppy eyes out.
"Look, we all need to end our break and prepare for work tomorrow," Angeal said and gestured to the others.
"I need to prepare for my meeting," Sephiroth nodded.
"I have students to educate," Genesis shrugged.
"And I need to get rested for my shift at the hospital," Angeal gestured to himself.
Zack whined louder and looked at Cloud.
"I need to get rested for deliveries but I'll cuddle with you when we get home," Cloud offered.
"Sold."
Cloud yelped as he was suddenly bundled over Zack's shoulder and carried off home. The three older men followed after them, ending their outing for the day.